Latrobe Valley Community Facility Fund

Application Guidelines

  1. Description

The Victorian Government has established a Latrobe Valley Community Facility Fund (the Fund) to support projects that will improve the amenity and liveability of the Latrobe Valley. In particular, projects that will bring people and jobs and improve the life of community members will be well regarded.

The aim of the Fund is to facilitate civic renewal that will help to make the Latrobe Valley a great place to live and work and to improve the health and wellbeing of those who live here.

Supported projects will need to demonstrate improvements to productivity, enhance the long term competitiveness of the Latrobe Valley, and create conditions that will attract businesses and visitors to the area.

  1. Purpose of these guidelines

This document sets out the application guidelines for the Latrobe Valley Community Facility Fund component of the Latrobe Valley Community Infrastructure and Investment Fund.This Fund will be administered by the Latrobe Valley Authority (LVA).

  1. Description and objectives of the Fund
  2. Latrobe Valley Community Facility Fund

Strong communities are characterised by high levels of social and economic participation. They demonstrate effective decision-making and strong networks and are attractive to people considering moving to the Valley to live and work.

The Fund will support the Latrobe Valley region to build strong and resilient communities by investing in community-led initiatives and partnerships under the following two streams:

  • Liveable Latrobe Valley; and
  • Active Latrobe Valley.

The LVA will consider funding requests of up to $1million for projects from Thursday17November 2016.

3.2Program Streams

The objectives of each program stream are described below.

3.2.1Liveable Latrobe Valley - Streams 1, 2 and 3

These three program streams willsupport projects that will make the Latrobe Valley a better place to live, attracting new businesses and residents and helping people to make a difference in their own community. Supported projects may include (but are not limited to):

  • Town beautification and streetscape projects;
  • Infrastructure that connects communities, links recreation to retail precincts, and attracts visitors;
  • Heritage and cultural initiatives of economic significance to the local community such as renewal of historic buildings and sites, arts and cultural centres or resource facilities;
  • Public hall upgrades;
  • Development of shared community spaces;
  • Upgrades of community spaces that enhance wellbeing and social connectedness;
  • Visitor attractions; and
  • Community events that bring people together to celebrate the place where they live and/or to work together to achieve community goals.

The funding is available in three streams:

Stream One

  • Up to $5,000 for community events*

Stream Two

  • Up to $50,000 for community space upgrades

Stream Three

  • Between $50,000 - $999,999 for town infrastructure developments and major upgrades**

*Funding may be provided at this level for up to 3 years to a total of $15,000.

**It is anticipated that projects of this size would be managed by organisations with a strong track record of similar projects, or are led by Local Government.

3.2.2Active Latrobe Valley – Stream 4

This program stream will support projects designed to make communities a healthier place to live, concentrating on sport and recreation, including open space improvements for families, residents and visitors to enjoy. Supported projects may include (but are not limited to):

  • Parks, playgrounds and passive recreational area development;
  • Recreational precinct upgrades;
  • Sporting facilities and precincts;
  • Rail trails and walking tracks; and
  • Bicycle paths.

Active Latrobe Valley will provide up to $1millionfor projects under this stream.

  1. Funding

The Fund has been established to support projects for amounts of up to $1million.

Applicants will be expected to make a financial contribution or source third party funding for the project. Contributions may be in cash and/or in kind.

In kind contributions must be no more than 50% of the total applicant contribution. In kind contributions will be valued at $20 per hour for unskilled work and $45 per hour for skilled work.

Priority may be given to projects that are considered to be investment ready.

4.1General Fund Conditions

Projects that will not be considered for funding include:

  • Requests for retrospective project funding, where projects have been completed or have started construction prior to receiving funding approval;
  • Ongoing operating costs or salary subsidies;
  • Private sector projects undertaken as a result of a government contract;
  • Projects where funding is normally provided by other state, Commonwealth or local government sources;
  • Projects that will require ongoing funding from the Victorian Government when completed;
  • Activities that are only purchasing plant and equipment; and
  • Purchase of land.
  1. Who Can Apply

Who can apply:

  • Local governments;
  • Not for profit organisations and community groups that:
  • Are an incorporated body, cooperative or association;
  • Have an Australian Business Number (ABN) or can provide written advice from the Australian Tax Office that no withholding tax is required from the grant payment; and
  • Consortia including local government, not for profit groups and private businesses.

Please note that all projects will be required to be endorsed/supported by the relevant Local Government Authority.

Who cannot apply:

  • Private businesses as sole applicants; and
  • Individuals.

Applicants can apply for more than one grant stream where relevant.

*As an alternative toreceiving written advice from the ATO that no withholding of tax is required, applicants without an ABN number (clubs, associations etc) are encouraged to find an Auspice Organisation. The auspice organisation would then be responsible for signing the funding agreement, and managing the funds on your behalf.

  1. Definition of Latrobe Valley

For the purposes of this Fund, the Latrobe Valley includes the Latrobe City, Baw Baw and Wellington council areas. Applications from other impacted communities in the region will also be considered.

  1. Application Process

In the first instance, please contact the LVA to discuss your project and its alignment with the aims of the Fund. There are three steps to the application process:

  1. Expressions of Interest are invited to be submitted to the LVA via the attached form.
  2. Selected shortlisted proponents will then be invited to apply to the Fund on a separate application form which will form the basis of the project contract.
  3. Successful applicants will be notified and expected to enter into a contract with the LVA.
  1. Assessment criteria

Eligible applications will be assessed against their response to the questions and criteria listed below, as well as supporting documents.Weightings are provided as a guide to the relative importance of different criterion in the assessment process.

30% - What will the project achieve?

Applications will need to demonstrate how the project will:

  • Improve the liveability, resilience and competitiveness of the Latrobe Valley.
  • Improve the attractiveness of the Latrobe Valley rural cities and towns to businesses and and families seeking to move to rural Victoria.
  • Deliver beneficial economic impact.

30% - Why is the project needed?

The application demonstrates the extent to which the project:

  • Is supported by the local government authority, by the community and is consistent with local plans, shared priorities and the directions of regional strategic plans.
  • Addresses an existing identified gap or issue.
  • Has an identified need for the project or strategic planning supported by evidence of previous investigations undertaken.
  • Is supported by local knowledge and information demonstrating the challenges being faced by the Latrobe Valley.

20% - How will the project be delivered?

The application demonstrates the extent to which the project:

  • Is investment ready, supported by a clear approach and realistic timeframes.
  • Is financially viable, based on sound cost estimates and represents value for money.
  • Incorporates principles of environmental sustainability and addresses Universal Design while complying with relevant anti-discrimination legislation (for infrastructure projects).
  • Uses materials and resources to deliver the project which strengthen the Latrobe Valley community and economy.

20% - Who is involved?

The application demonstrates the extent to which the project:

  • Employs a collaborative approach with a range of partners and indicates how they will contribute to the project;
  • Is capable of being implemented or can draw upon personnel with expertise to manage the project; and
  • Is proposed by a financially viable applicant who is capable of managing and completing the project.
  1. Conditions of funding
  2. Funding agreements

Successful applicants will be required to enter into a funding agreement with the LVA which will detail all funding obligations and conditions.

The funding agreement is a legally enforceable document that clearly defines the obligations of both parties. The funding agreement aims to protect the Victorian Government’s interests and to ensure the efficient and effective use of public money.

Funding agreements must be signed by the organisation’s Chief Executive Officer (or equivalent) and will:

  • Describe the purpose for which the funding must be used;
  • Set out any requirements or conditions that must be met prior to the payment of a grant instalment; and
  • Outline agreed milestones and project outcomes that must be achieved before payment of a grant instalment.

Once the funding agreement has been executed, the applicant will be required to actively manage and deliver the project, and provide progress reports to the LVA. During the course of the project, LVA staff may conduct site visits as necessary. Successful applicants must enter into a funding agreement and commence the project within one year from the date of offer of the funding. If the project does not commence within this timeframe, the grant eligibility will be reviewed

9.2Payments

Advance payments will be made in stages as long as:

  • The funding agreement has been signed by both parties;
  • Grant recipients provide reports as required, or otherwise demonstrate that the activity is progressing as expected based on achievement of milestones; and
  • Other funding terms and conditions continue to be met.

9.3Evaluation and reporting

Successful applicants will be required to agree to an evaluation which is undertaken either during and/or after the completion of the project. Successful applicants will also be required to submit progress and completion reports against agreed milestones.

9.4Acknowledgement

Successful applicants will need to acknowledge the Victorian Government’s support through the provision of a grant from the LVA. All activities acknowledge Victorian Government support through logo presentation on any activity-related publications, media releases and promotional material. Successful applicants must liaise with LVA to coordinate any events or announcements related to the activity.

9.5Privacy

Any personal information about you or a third party in the application will be collected by the LVA which is part of the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) for the purpose of grant administration. This information may be provided to other Victorian Government agencies for the purposes of assessing your application. If you intend to include personal information about third parties in your application, please ensure they are aware of the contents of this privacy statement. The Department’s privacy policy is available from

Any personal information about you or a third party in your correspondence will be collected, held, managed, used, disclosed or transferred in accordance with the provisions of the Information Privacy Act 2000 (Vic)and other applicable laws. DPC is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information. Enquiries about access to information about individuals held by DPC are available from

  1. Further Information